kick a** rigid fork

[benwitt11]

i, like many 29ers i've met, feel that you can't beat the classic ride feel of a rigid 29" hardtail. before you suspension guys beat me up, i'm not saying suspension sucks, it's just not the same on a 29er. up until a few months ago i'd been riding a fisher hardtail with a surly fork. the surly is really nice for the money, but i was looking for a little better ride quality, (and a little less wight!) i decided to get a ti fork. after emailing four companies, (who shall remain nameless,) i only recieved an email back from one of them. i ended up buying a fork from a company called spicer cycles. after the first ride i was hooked, the fork is simply the best rigid i've ever ridden. it has just enough compliance to make it seem like a stiff suspension fork, but with out the complication and the weight. so, any of you that have a desire to go rigid, (and about $300 laying around,) should give gene a call and check these out. the website is www.spicercycles.com.

[gran'pooba]

So what do you think of the new fork? Is it flexy? As I am running a Surly KM fork as well.

[Cloxxki]

Did you get an off-the-shelf or custom fork?
Did you...weigh it?

My KM forks in boh the Fisher (part-time) and KM (full-time) are beating me up, I want something lighter and softer as well.
Custom steel IMO looks best as you get it painted, but will be just a bit lighter, maybe 150g tops. Ti is a bit more expensive, but can save much more weight, hmmm...

I hope to be able to be part of some sort of group purchase for ti forks.

[benwitt11]

I am in love with this fork! it is flexy, but only in a good way. it is super light, just about 1.4 lbs with a cut steerer, so the weight difference between this and the km is crazy. it does have a noticable amount of flex compared to the km, so if you're a harder rider you might want to take it with a grain of salt. this bike is primarily my cross country/ racing bike, so it see very little in the way of abuse. bottom line, the fork is the most comfortable thing i've ever ridden. between the fork, the big wheels, and large volume bontrager tires, the bike has an amazingly smooth ride. it's like having everything good about suspension, without all the bullshit. the fork also contributes to sickeningly low bike weights, (mine wieghs in at 21.5 lbs!) get the fork, you'll love it!

p.s. this was a custom fork, (from spicer.com,) and took about three weeks to recieve it. i had it made to km specs because i liked the handleing, just not the weight or ride quality.

[Tman]

OK, here is a crazy thought, I ride rigid on my KM but my Bianchi has an old Softride stem......................I know, but it really rides nice! :p

I might look into a Ti fork after I build my new house.

[benwitt11]

friends don't let friends ride softrides. enough said.

[Tman]

Actually ben, they ride nice if you are smooth. Most people pedal like apes! I admit they are a little odd, I bought the bike with one off a customer several years ago and left it on. I do believe Stamstead rode one, I wouldnt diss something that appeared on the market over a dozen years ago while you were barely able to ride a bike. I spent most of my adult life selling bikes and riding 365 days a year. With age comes a little tolerance for ideas adn simple technology. Dont get me wrong, when I was your age I ordered an RS1 and was into all the HiZoot parts. At 35, I find my bikes have gotten simpler and sturdier than when I was younger. Thats the only way you can own a fleet of a dozen or more bikes and not spend your life maintaining them.

BTW, this is not a personal attack on you. I just see blanket statements like yours as a dis-service for many folks. Let me know if you are ever coming to the Black Hills, I will get a group ride together.

[benwitt11]

sorry for the incindiary comments earlier. i have just come off some really bitter softride moments in my shop lately, and they've left somewhat of a sour taste in my mouth. you're right, any bike that gets you out riding and enjoying the sport is better than no bike at all. my only i mistook your statements to be in relation with some peoples' views around my area, which is to say that they can see absoloutly no point in spending over $500 on a bike. that view is very damaging to our sport, as it puts bikes back into the realm of children's toys, instead of the true equipment they are.

again, i apologize if i offended you, i love cheap bikes just as much as the next shop guy, (who doesn't have a fleet of trusty steeds laying around?) just call it the ramblings of a mechanics who sees one to many huffys a day.

[rfritz]

Spicer forks are great! I have titanium segmented fork on my On-One and it rocks! It is super smooth. I am thinking about changing frames to their cruiser style ti frame.

[Tman]

Ben, no problem, I gave a dozen years of my life for the cause in shops in SouthDakota and Mpls. I too have had those days where you hate the human population in regards to the bike shop world. Mechanics can be opiniated bastards for the most part. Myself included. Kinda miss those days but also dont.

Back to the bike talk.!!

[benwitt11]

Keep the faith.

[SHEEPMAN44]

Hey, checked out the fork on Spicer's web site, looks good in the tiny little pic, but how are fit and finish in the real world? Smooth, even welds, etc.? I'm pretty happy with my KM fork, seems smooth enoungh for my riding style, however the weight savings sound pretty tempting. :confused:

[benwitt11]

I have been pleased with the overall quality of my fork. The welds are nice, but not litespeed smooth or anything. the overall appearance of the fork its very nice, it just looks pretty sitting still. i only had one minor gripe, which is that the fork's crown race was slighty under tolerance. This is really a minor things, and has not been noticeable for the good or bad since the fork has been installed. Most importantly, if you think that the km fork is smooth, you'd going to be amazed. The finish is very nice, it's not polished, or brushed. It has a really nice darker matte color to it. I really like it, it looks great in my green and black fisher.

[MunkeeHucker]

I originally thought my Stock KM fork was a a little stiff, but ever since I got my new Jones H-Bar I wouldn't change a thing, the ride is so much smoother and I still have that great control and climbing ability. :)